Teenage Pregnancy? Is It Adversity or Serendipity?

Big issue nowadays is the pregnancy among teens. A teenage pregnancy, as

defined by the American Pregnancy Association, is a pregnancy that occurs for a

woman under the age of 20. Although technically not a teenager, a young woman 12

or under, who is pregnant falls into this definition of teenage pregnancy as well. Jane

Fonda (2019) says, “It’s about time we make the well-being of our young people

more important than ideology and politics. As a country, we benefit from investing

from their future by investing in teen pregnancy prevention.” Therefore, this essay

aims to state the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and its results whether good or

bad. In my personal opinion, teen pregnancy should be avoided.

Here are some points why teenage pregnancy should be avoided:

First of all, not finishing school. Researchers conclude that most teenage

pregnancies end with education dropouts because of the fear of embarrassment,

humiliation, and harassment from the fellow friends and college mates. They have to

bear taunts, acidic remarks, and arrogant discourses from their peers about their

pregnancy and baby. The education of the teen mother remains on hold during

pregnancy, and some teens even decide to drop out of their high school and find a

job. In such circumstances, teen moms decide to focus on the baby or plan to get

married rather than pursuing a higher education. Teenagers getting pregnant at an

early age cannot pursue their higher education due to extra responsibility.
Secondly, teenage pregnancy increases the risks of medical complications in both

the mother and her baby. Pregnancy during teenage years is associated with a

higher risk of health problems such as preeclampsia, anemia, contracting STDs

(sexually transmitted diseases), premature delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, and

poor mental health outcomes. Teen age mothers are more likely to experience

violence and depression that can increase the risk of mental disorders. Mothers with

poor maternal health are more likely to give birth to a low birth-weight baby, with

inadequate complementary feeding and breastfeeding, frequent infections, and

inadequate food, health and care, the low birth-weight baby will grow as a stunted

child, a stunted teenager, and finally to a malnourished pregnant woman who, in

turn, has another low-birth-weight baby, and the cycle persists through generations.

Their body may compete with developing fetuses being carried for nutrition and may

not be psychologically ready to nurse babies after delivery since some pregnancy

among teenagers is either unintended or unwanted.

Lack of knowledge on nutrition can also lead to poor health outcomes. After

getting pregnancy at an early age, the teen mother may suffer from emotional crisis

due to lack of social support from family. Severe emotional and mental breakdown

triggers the onset of evil behavior like suicide attempts.

Lastly, teen pregnancy can lead to death for both the mother and the . child she

carries. 2017 report reveals that nearly 30,000 teenage girls die every year due to

complications from pregnancy or childbirth. These alarmingly high figures were

published by Save the Children, an international NGO promoting children's rights

and providing relief and support for children in developing countries.

 Their analysis concluded that "teenage pregnancy kills one girl every 20

minutes," making it the number one killer of girls ages 15 to 19. The Independent,

reports that pregnancy-related problems such as "bleeding, blood poisoning,

obstructed labor and complications resulting from unsafe abortions" are the leading

causes of deaths in teenage girls around the world.

The World Health Organization reports that around 3 million unsafe abortions

are performed on girls aged 15 to 19 every year. But it's not just the teenage mothers

that are at risk; the Save the Children report found that babies with teenage mothers

have a 30 percent greater risk of infant mortality than those born to slightly older

mothers in their twenties. The report warned that unless young girls are given

greater access to contraceptives and family planning methods, the situation could

worsen. In order to lower and eliminate pregnancy-related deaths worldwide, the

NGO hopes to increase and improve access to contraception for young girls.

Teenage pregnancy is not the ideal situation for any girl, but it is certainly not the

end of the world either. While there are most definitely many negative aspects of

teen pregnancy, some rays of positive light can also be found. There are many

people saying that there is nothing good about teenage pregnancy. Yes, it may be

true but there are certain positive things people can consider thinking about such

issue. First, it allows a teenage mother and child to grow together. A teenage mother

has to grow and develop when her child is born. The same goes for her child. This

creates a very special bond between mother and child. Second, a child causes a

person to learn responsibility and maturity very quickly. These traits are necessary

for the safe keeping of a new born child.

 Teen pregnancy is a pregnancy in female human-beings who are below the

age of twenty years and being a teen parent, it isn’t as great as it sounds. Teen

pregnancy should be highly discouraged has it has effect on the teenage mother and

the baby born. The teen mother may face complications such as premature labor,

medical complication during the pregnancy period, at child birth or after child birth

and are likely to drop out of school.

No one wants to become a parent when they are a teenager. Teenagers are

not able to get a decent education, and some teens don’t know what they want to do

with their lives. Teens don’t want to stay home and take care of a child. There are

many of things that teenagers have to give up one is by having a child at a young

age, when they are a child themselves. Teens should think about what they are

doing before they accidently become teenage mother.

And it is the responsibility not only of a parent but of other adults to assist a

child so that she will not be pregnant early. Teachers or relatives can be the ones to

guide the teenager so that she can withstand her problems and refrain from being

pregnant at an early age. Teen pregnancy is a long road. You will most likely end up

walking that road by yourself most of the way. If you do get pregnant,

take responsibility for your actions. Abstinence is key.

References :

https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/teen-pregnancy-and-why-it-should-be-

avoided/

https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/teenage-pregnancy/

https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/teen-or-adolescent-pregnancy/

https://healthresearchfunding.org/pros-cons-teenage-pregnancy/

https://www.momjunction.com/articles/effects-of-teen-pregnancy-on-

society_00384725/

https://www.vice.com/en/article/wj8zwq/teen-pregnancy-is-the-number-one-killer-of-

girls-ages-15-to 19

https://americanpregnancy.org/unplanned-pregnancy/teenage-pregnancy/

https://educheer.com/essays/conclusion-on-teenage-pregnancy/

- Villegas, Bieverlie Faye G. 10 - Eagle